READING, PA – The University of Rochester men's soccer picked up its first win of the year in resounding fashion, defeating the Alvernia University Golden Wolves, 5-0, on Saturday at Alvernia Turf Field.
 
The Yellowjackets put up five or more goals for the first time since 2021, with five different goal-scorers contributing to the rout. Rochester also outshot the Golden Wolves, 20-4, and 9-1 on goal, and had six corner kicks, compared to just two for the home side.
 
It wouldn't take long for Rochester to get on the board, as just over three minutes in, Will Fallona gave UR a 1-0 lead. Pushing forward, Kyle Wong found Fallona just outside the box on a long through ball, and the junior was able to get enough on it to flick it past the keeper into the back of the net for a one-goal lead.
 
Then, in the 18th minute, the 'Jackets doubled their lead, pushing forward again after the Golden Wolves couldn't fully clear a UR throw-in.
 
Alvernia's defense deflected a cross-in from Kol Bassuk, but the 'Jackets got the ball back and passed it around to Ashton Prescott. Prescott then found Kamal Ibrahim with a cross, and the graduate student's right-footed shot beat Evan Solley to make it a 2-0 Rochester lead.
 
Defensively, Rochester would hold Alvernia to just one shot in the first half, a header from Chase Malone, which Ben Ziegler saved in the 29th minute. UR also added three more shots on goal down the stretch of the first half, two from Pasquale Carusone and another from Gavin Fischer, but Solley saved all three to keep the 'Jackets' lead at just two.
 
Rochester kept up pressure offensively to start the second half, with shots by Ibrahim and Jasper Danielian that were blocked and went wide, before the 'Jackets were awarded a penalty kick and a chance to add to their lead.
 
Milos Bisenic converted the penalty kick, beating Solley to extend Rochester's lead to 3-0 in the 55th minute, while on a free kick less than a minute later, Johnny Makula would make it 4-0.
 
Bisenic took the free kick from 35-yards out, and after an Alvernia defender mis-headed it towards goal, Makula finished the job, blasting a header to the far corner of the net.
 
Up 4-0, the Yellowjackets cruised to a victory, holding the Golden Wolves without a shot on goal the rest of the way, while Carusone, after twice being saved in the first half, put the capper on UR's win with a 72nd-minute score.
 
Gavin Fischer would set up Carusone for the score, beating his defender with a great cut before finding Carusone streaking down the middle of the field for the goal.
 
Alvernia would earn a late corner, but Justin Hartline's shot went wide, and the Yellowjackets would cruise to a 5-0 victory, their largest win since 2021.
 
With the win, Rochester moves to 1-2-1 on the season, while Alvernia drops to 0-2-2.
 
Individually, Carusone led Rochester with five shots apiece, while Ibrahim and Jasper Danielian each had three. In goal, Ziegler faced just four shots and made one save.
 
Rochester next wraps up its four-game road stretch with a matchup against Oswego State on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at 7:00 p.m. in Oswego, NY.